Backlights are light guide panels generally constructed of an optically clear substrate and are designed to guide light to exit the screen-facing side. The substrate may have a reflective backing, or may have indents to disperse the light. They are typically illuminated by placement of at least one LED along the outer perimeter of the backlight. Often two to four LED light bars of multiple LED's affixed to a solid heat sink strip are used to illuminate the backlight. Backlight material is generally an optically clear substrate, usually a light, transparent, thermoplastic. Backlights for HD LCD TVs are often made from approximately 8 mm thick rectangular sheets of optically clear thermoplastic. The view size of the backlight generally approximates the LCD display screen which it illuminates. To provide sufficient and uniform light energy penetration throughout an LCD display screen, adjacent to the backlight and between the backlight and the LCD display screen are diffusing layers that allow the light to pass into the LCD display screen in an even and uniform white light. Diffusing layers vary in number, usually between two and four layers depending on the spacing between the LEDs on the LED light bar and the output luminance rating of the backlight. LED light bars are often mounted on narrow strips of aluminum against the backlight edge, approximately 3-10 mm wide in LCD television displays, and use low power surface mount LED packages (such as smd 0603 or smd 3020 LEDs) mounted adjacent to one another such that their spacing is roughly 10 mm or greater along the light bar lengthwise. The light bar runs the length of the backlight's viewing opening. In addition to the LED backlight panels light output requirements (typically 1200 to 2000 lux for larger backlights), there are heat dissipation issues to be considered in order to promote long term LED reliability (typically rated at 50,000+ hours if run at 70% of maximum brightness and maintained at or below their normal operating temperatures). To address these heat buildup issues, these small and narrow LED bars are usually attached to a heat sink assembly which is usually quite large in comparison to the LED strips (about 22 mm to 35 mm and designed at various angles to promote efficient heat dissipation). This typical design result in a rather expensive, heavy, and thick backlight assembly, typically 12 mm to 24 mm in total thickness. The overall thickness of the standard television assembly including the LCD display screen in use in the industry is typically 15 mm to 30 mm in total.